© Shunsuke Tabeta via Nikkei Asia
Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What kind of energy sources do you know?
- Are there many electric vehicles in your country?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- automaker /AW-toh-mey-ker/
- outsell /out-SEL/
- compare /kuhm-PAIR/
- unit /YOO-nit/
- demand /dih-MAND/
[noun] – a big company that makes car
The country’s leading automaker set an all-time monthly sales record this month.
[verb] – (of a product) to be sold in greater numbers than another product
MP3s soon began to outsell CDs.
[verb] – to examine or look for the difference between two or more things
This store’s prices are high compared to what some other stores charge.
[noun] – a single product considered as part of the total number of products that a company manufactures or sells
Due to the pandemic, the company cut domestic production to 3.1 million units this year.
[noun] – a need for something to be sold or supplied
There was little demand for tickets.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
SAIC Motor, a Chinese state-owned automaker, is now outselling Tesla cars in China. Last January, 25,778 Hong Guang Minis from SAIC Motor were sold compared to 13,843 units from Tesla. The electric vehicle costs 28,000 yuan or $4,465 which is eight times cheaper than Tesla’s cheapest model. Hong Guang Mini isn’t Tesla’s only competitor. Chinese start-ups Nio, Li Auto, and XPeng have also seen a rise in their sales last year as the demand for electric cars keeps growing, also because of government support.
China is the world’s largest car market and it is also the source of a fifth of Tesla’s sales. Since the Chinese government stepped up its efforts in fighting pollution, sales of local electric vehicles have continued to rise. It may be behind Tesla in terms of battery, range, and efficiency but its simplicity and low price have made it one of China’s most common “new energy” vehicles.
China is the world’s largest car market and it is also the source of a fifth of Tesla’s sales. Since the Chinese government stepped up its efforts in fighting pollution, sales of local electric vehicles have continued to rise. It may be behind Tesla in terms of battery, range, and efficiency but its simplicity and low price have made it one of China’s most common “new energy” vehicles.
Comprehension Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What company is now outselling Tesla-made cars in China?
- How many Hong Guang Minis were sold last January?
- How much does a Hong Guang Mini cost?
- Aside from SAIC Motor, what other companies are competing with Tesla in China?
- When did they see a rise in electric car purchases in China?
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What factors made the SAIC Motor’s Hong Guang mini model outsell the leading EV company Tesla, in China?
- Why did the Chinese government urge its citizens to purchase electric vehicles instead?
- Do you think more people would buy electric vehicles in the future? Why or why not?
- What factors do people consider before purchasing a car?
- Would you consider buying an electric car instead of a conventional diesel-powered one? Why or why not?